Foundation brings joy to slum children

[Mirror]

Children living in the impoverished Ilaje community in Bariga area of Lagos State joined their counterparts in the country to this year's Children's Day in style, thanks a non profit organisation, Hope for HIV/AIDS International in collaboration with the world Association for Christian Community (WACC) with support from UKaids.

Hope for HIV/AIDS International was joined by other international schools in Lagos such as Corona schools, Green Springs Schools and Holly Field schools to bring joy and laughter to these children who are living in abject poverty as they donated used clothes, toys and other food items to them.

Speaking at the event held at the Hope Vision Children School, the event co-ordinator, Mrs. Patricia Ajenifuja said "for us at Hope for Aids International, Children's Day is like our Christmas Day because this is when we really come out to make the children happy and generally have fun. Some of them are orphans or those whose parents died of AIDS.

"So what we do is to provide free education for them through our Hope Vision Children School and when it's Children's Day like this, we invite children from international schools in Lagos to join our children to celebrate.

"They bring their used toys, clothes and food for these children. We encourage the children from these international schools to join us so that they can also see that there are other kids out there in the world who are less privileged than they are."

The Hope for Aids International is currently working in slums communities like Ilaje, Baja and Makoko in Lagos where there are large concentration of children whose parents cannot afford to give them basic amenities in life such as food, basic health and free education.

Mrs. Ajenifuja further said, "We are thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to serve in these communities. We have seen that some of these children would not have been able to go to school if we have not started a free education there. The school is called Hope Vision Children School at Ilaje. We also provide basic health scheme for them such as de-worming; when they get sick of malaria and other simple medical needs."

The Project Co-ordinator of Hope for HIV/ AIDS international pastor Rex Ajenifuja also speaking at the event said, "We are thankful to the various international schools that have shown their support to our project in seeing that children living these slums also join other children all over the world to celebrate the Children's Day. This has made these children to feel loved by the rest of the world."

National Mirror